Automatic winder



Oct. 31, 19:39. E. J. ABBoT'r l AUTOMATIC WINDER Filed Feb. l2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 l M j, ze j# j (lg o v f /Q lo /W v l .9] A Ilocr. 3 1, 1939. i E JQ ABBOTT 2,177,680

AUTOMATIC WINDER Filgd Feb. l2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 3l, 1939. E. .1. ABBOTT AUTOMATIC WINDER Filed Feb. 12, 195s 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 31, 1939. E J ABBOTT 2,177,680

` AUTOMATIC wINDE Filed Feb. 12, 19:56 5 Sheets-sheet 4 Patented Oct. '3 1, 1939 PATENT orrici:

2,* 177680 AUTOMATIC WINDER lEdward J. Abbott, Wilton, N. H., assignor to Aby bott Machine Company, Wilton, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire Application February 12, 1936, Serial No. 63,542

This invention ,relates to automatic winding machines, or winding machines having certain automatic features. and has for its principal object to 'provide a winding machine having a num- A ber of winding units and a traveling magazine which can be loaded at a given point in its path of travel, and set to traveling around the machine, encountering the several winding units succes- Asively and replenishing their several masses in an automatic manner. Thus a principal advantage of the invention is avoidance of necessity for the operator'to travel about the machine in aid of replenishing the supply masses of the winding units, or of conveyance of all of the winding units past the operator or replenishing mechanism.

The invention` further aims to provide improved stopping and starting mechanism adapted for use in conjunction with automatic replenishment of y the supply mass of a winding unit, improved mechanism for finding thebroken or exhausted end of yarn upon the surface of a wound package, Ifor associating the found end and the end of yarn -of a supply mass, uniting these ends and delivering a tied-in supply mass to the supply mass holderof a winding unit, and to 'provide improved mechanism for beginning winding again after these operations. The'invention further aims to simplify the construction of automatic winding g. machines. Other objects of invention'and advantages will be apparent from this specification and 'its drawings, wherein the invention is explained by reference to a preferred embodiment.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a multiple winding machine and its traveling magazine and replenishment mechanism, according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one end portion of the machine, with certain parts broken away and other parts omitted for vclarity of illustration;

Figi 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the (ci. 24a-r5.6)

mechanism and knot-stripping -arm mounted thereon, with the position of the knotter cam indicated in broken lines; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the knotter without the cover for the knotter cam. 5 The illustrated machine is shown as provided with a stationary frame consisting of a series of vertically and transversely arranged members II, tied together longitudinally of the machine by rails I2, I3, I4 and I5, these frame members and 10 rails serving to support the non-traveling winding devices of the machine, and serving as guides for the travelingl magazine and replenishing mechanism.

Drive shafts I6, extending longitudinally on 15 oppositesides of the machine, are mounted insuitable bearings I1 on the rails I3, and carry between these'bearings suitable winding package driving elements shown at I8 as comprising rolls having crossed yarn traversing grooves I9. The patent to Reece No. 1,749,355 may be referred to for a description of these rolls. Instead of the yarn-guiding grooves I9 being crossed, other forms of traverse devices may be provided,for example non-crossed yarn grooves on the rolls I 8, or separate traverse devices located in proximity to the rolls I8 which wouldy then not have yarnguiding grooves. A

Each winding unit is shown as including a Winding package spindle 2|, pivotally mounted at 30 22 to a package-carrying arm 23, soas to bei adapted to swing outwardly for endwise doiilng of the wound package 25 from the'spindle. The several winding package-carrying arms 23 are conveniently mounted for swinging about a common longitudinal shaft 21 so located that the winding package 25 of each unit is adapted to rest upon the surface of the package driving roll I8 of f that unit. y The supply mass holders for the winding units are shown as comprising collars 28 40 rotatably mounted upon a longitudinal shaft 29 and carrying radially arranged bobbin pegs 30,

'adapted to be moved into a yarn-delivering position and into a bobbin-dumping position.

In each winding unit, the yarn coming from any suitable bobbin 33 on one of 'the pegs 30 of the supply mass holder, passes upwardly between the frictional elements of a tension device 34 which is mounted upon the rail I4, then over a wire detector element 35, into the traversing groove I9. of the winding package drive roll I8, and thence onto the winding package 25.

Each winding unit is shown as provided with a. package lifting mechanism' including a vertical rod 38 adapted to move vertically in suitable sup- 55 ports 31 and 39, and normally urged upward by a compressedspring 48, but normally restrained against such upward movement by a latch 4| engaging a projection 42 on the rod 38. This rod carries a yoke 44 into which extends a projection 45 from the package-carrying arm 23. A rod 38, extends upwardly from the yoke 44 in prolongation of the rod 38, and is .pivotally connected at its upper end to a rockerarm 41 `Which is pivotally mounted at 48 and carries at its outer extremity a roller 49 adapted to cooperate with the packageresetting mechanism of the traveling replenishing mechanism.

'I'he latch 4| is shown as formed as a bell l crank pivotally mounted at 52 and carrying \a dog 53 pivotally connected thereto at 54. The detector wire 35 is normally held in the fullline position of Fig. 1 by the tension of the winding strand, and in this position a connecting link 51 between the detectoriwire and dog 53 holds the dog 53 in the inclined position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, free from the `oscillating path of motion of a rocker 59. Upon breakage. `or exhaustion of the winding strand, the detector wire 3 5 vfalls outwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. 1, and acts through the connecting link 51 to swing the dog- 53 into the path of the rocker 59, thereby causing the dog 53 to turn the latch 4| and move it'out of engagement with the o projection 42 on the rod 38. This permits the compressed spring 48 to lift the rod 38, yoke 44, and through the action of the yoke 44 upon the projection 45,-lift the package-carrying arm 23 and carry the winding package spindle and package to a position such as shown for the righthand package in Fig. 3. The rockers 59 for the several windings units are conveniently fastened to a common rocker arm shaft-62 having fast thereon an arm 63 which is oscill'atcd by a ccnnecting link 64 from a suitable crank pin 85,

shown in Fig. 1 as .driven by reduction gearing 66, 61 from a motor 69.

The traveling magazine and replenishing mechanism, shown in elevation and partly in vertical section in Fig. 1, includes a casing 1I containing g curved vsuction tube 15 carries near its nozzle end a bracket indicated at 19 carrying-pivoted yokes n,88 in which are Amounted .flanged wheels 8| adapted to ride on the upper rail I2 of the frame of the machine. A frame element 84 extending j .o down from the casing of the motor 13 of theA traveling unit carries at its lower enda wheel 85 adapted to bear against the lower rail I5 of Y the stationary frame. Suitable electric conductor rails 86, shown as three in number, are

provided on the inner face of the rail I5 and are insulated from each other and from the rail, and suitable electric brushes 81. carried by an insulating bracket 88 on the member 84 are adapted to cooperate with the stationary electric 7o rails 86 in supplying current for operating the several mechanisms of the traveling units, in-

cluding the suction fan 12 referred to above.

For causing the traveling magazine Aand re- .plenishing unit to move around the machine into u association with the several winding units successively, the opposite ends of the machine are provided with sprocket wheels, of which one is shownl at 98 in Fig. 2, one of these sprocket wheels being driven by any suitable means, and acting to drive a conveying chain 9| in an endless path around the machine, the traveling unit being connected to this chain 9| by a link 92 which is pivoted to the chain and to a projection 93 from the bracket 19. It is preferred that provision be made for stopping and starting the motion of the chain 9| and traveling units without stopping the driving of the winding package drive rolls I8, and any suitable stop mechanism may be provided for this purpose.

The magazine of the traveling unit comprises a plate 91 adapted to rotate about the central tube 14 and carrying at its periphery a series of cylindrical bobbin holders 98, each -slotted at 99 and each provided with a bottom trapdoor |88. The plate 91 is normally restrained against rotary movement about the tube 14 by engagement of a latch |82 with one of a series of pegs |83 corresponding in number to the bobbinholders 98. 'I'he plate 91 engages on its under face a rotary disk |85 which 'is constantly driven by engagement of its internal gear teeth |81 with a driving pinion |88 rotated by a reduction gearing and motor unit |89 which is mounted upon a stationary collar |I8 on the tube 14. Tripping of the latch |82 .therefore permits the constantly rotating frictionplate |85 to rotate the magazine plate 91 and its bobbin holders 98 through an arc occupied by o'ne bobbin holder.

The machine includes means for releasing the latch |82 and causing the aforesaid rotation of the magazine each time the magazine encounters a winding unit. As indicated in Fig. 5, a sleeve |18, fastened to a stationary flange I I8, serves as a bearing for a vertical shaft I1| with which the Iatch |82 is integral. Fast on the lower end of the shaft is a collar |12 which is acted upon by a coil spring |13 to urge the latch |82 into latching position. The collar |12 carries a rod |14, extending, asI shown in Fig. l, into the vicinity of the rail I4. Adjacent to each winding unit is provided a stationary pin |15, adapted to detain and turn the rod |14, thereby swinging this rod and the latch I 82 to their dotted line positions of Fig. 4 and releasing the magazine in time for the magazine to turn and'discharge a bobbin to an empty peg 38 of the winding unit;

A rim ||2 on the stationary flange ||8 supports the trapdoors |88 of the several bobbin holders, butV terminates at a point where a bobbin holder 98 is nearest` to one of the stationary winding units, there allowing the trapdoor |88 t0 drop to the ,vertical position shown for the trapdoor |88 at the left of the magazine of Fig. 1,

in position for the bobbin from the bobbin holder 98 to drop down a chute ||5 and be received by the upturned peg 38. v

'Ihe suction nozzle 11 is provided at its opposite ends with bearings |I1 for an end-,finding package-rotating roll ||8 which is shown as driven through a pulley H9, belt |28 and pulley |2| from a motor |22 mounted upon the curved tube 15. The curved tube 15 is provided with a slot |24 connecting the opening of the nozzle 11 with the space between-the tube 15 and the larger' rotary series of bobbin; holders 98and the centrai suction tube 14.

The knot tyer. |25 may be of any desired type,

' for example that described and claimed in the `copending patent application lof Edward J. Ab-

' bott for Knott'er, Serial No. 63,541 filed concurrently herewith, but preferably as shown in Fig. 4 is constructed 'as described and claimed in the copending patent application of Edward J. Ab-

bott `:for Knot tyer, Serial No. 63,540 filed concurrentlyherewith. leferring to Fig. 4, the knot tye'r |25 and driving electric motor |26 are supported by a bracket |21 from the central suction cludes cooperating rotaryY tying bills |30, |3|l driven through gears |33, |34 and |35, |36 respectively from a main knotter shaft |31 carrying a notched friction plate |38. A cooperating rotary drive element |39 carrying friction material |40 on its face is pressed against the notched plate |38 by a spring 4|, 'and is constantly driven through gear teeth |42 on its periphery by a train of gearing |43, |44 connected to the shaft |45 of the electric motor |26. A pivotally mounted latch |41 normally engages the notched plate |38 and restrainsit against rotary movement by the driving mechanism, but rotation of the magazine causes one of a series of projections on the plate 91 to lift a pivotally mounted element |52 (Fig. 1) and raise a lifter rod|53 attached thereto and to the pivoted latch |41, thereby disengaging the notched plate |38 and permitting this plate and the shaft |31 to be turned through one revolution by the knetter-driving mechanism. As more fully disclosed in the said United States application for Knot tyer Serial No. 63,540 filed concurrently `berfor pocket |58a is carried by a member |85 which is mounted ,on a pivot |86 on the plate |80, andthe yarn-guiding and crossing member or pocket |58b is carried by a link |81 pivoted at |88 to the upper end of lever |82 and provided with a rslot |89 on which it slides on the pivot |86. Apin |9| fast on member |85 and engaging in a slot |92 in link |81 acts to swing member |85 in a clockwise direction about Ythe pivot |86 when link |81 is shifted to the left by the action of the cam |56. The yarn-guiding and crossing pockets |58a and |581? cross the two yarns in the path of the bills |30 and |3| during the first rotation of these bills, and then, return to their initial position, with the result of causing the bills to tie each yarn into a singleknot inclusive of only a single thickness of the-other yarn. During the second revolution of the bills, when the yarns have been grasped by the-bills and cut ofi' to form the tails ofthe knot, the knot-stripping arm |60, which is pivoted at |93, ,is actuated by its cam follower |94and cam groove |59 to swing to the dotted line position of Fig. 7, pull the knot off the bills and tighten haustion lor breakage of their supplies.

it before the bills finally vrelease the tails of the knot.

The finding of an end of yarn upon the Wound package 25 by the suction nozzle 11, and the consequent travel of the found end along the slot |24 -in the tube causes this found end to be laid into the yarn-positioning and guiding member or pocket |589', the vyarnloeing directed toward this member or pocket yby a notch .|91 in plate |80, I

and by a divider plate |98 vwhich definitely prevents this yarn from going into the other pocket |581. Approximately simultaneously with the end-finding, the rotation of .the magazine through an arc representing one of the bobbin-A holding compartments 98 carries the end of a replenishment supply strand extending from a bobbin in this holder 98, andheld by suction in ,the space between the suction tubes 14 and 15, into the yarn positioning element |58". This movementof the yarn is aided by the upper edge |80 ofj plate |80 which Aholds the yarn out of the knetter until it reaches and drops into the slot |99 therein. When the two yarns are thus positioned, the knotter tripping mechanism, including the lifter rod |53 and latch |41 are actuated as described above, to cause the knetter bills |30, |3|, and yarn positioning elements |58t and |58b,.to tie the knot and to cause the knot-stripping element |60 to pull the tied knot from the bills. 1

The rotation of the magazine to bring the yarn of a new bobbin into the knot-tying mechanism and operate the knotter-tripping mechanism brings the bobbin holder 98 of which the bobbin is being tied into association with the bobbin chute 5, permits the trapdoor |00 at the bottom of the bobbin holder 98 to open, and consequently discharges the tied-in bobbin to the bobbinholding pegs of the winding unit.

The machine preferably includes automatic means for discharging the cores of bobbins which have been subjected to unwinding in the winding units, thus to prepare each winding unit for the reception of a fresh tied-in supply bobbin. A preferredA form of such means is illustrated as comprising an arm |10 projecting from the frame member 84 of the traveling magazine unit, and having a portion |1| bent backward from the direction of travel of the magazine unit and positioned to contact a downwardly extending bobbin peg 30 and swing this bobbin peg and its associated collar 28 through an arm of 120. This rotation of the collar 28 brings the bobbin peg 30 which has just held a bobbin into a downwardly inclined position in which the bobbin y can fall by gravity off the peg, and at the same time position the neighboring bobbin peg 30 on preferably includes a pair of endless conveyor belts |15, adapted to catch the discharged bobbins from the peg 30, carry them to one end of the machine, and drop them into suitable receptacles |15.

In the course of the travel of the magazine and replenishing units about the machine, in the direction of the arrow X in Fig. 2, the traveling unit encounters wound packages 25 which have been raised to the position of the right-hand wound package in Fig. 3 as the result of ex- In order to position the wound package 25 with respect to the unwinding roll ||8 and end-finding nozzle 11, and subsequently'to position the package for further winding and reset the stop mecha- -into contact with the unwinding roller nism of the unit, the traveling magazine is-provided `with a cam |80 adapted to cooperate with` the rollers 49 of the rocker arms 41 of the successive winding units. Referring to Fig. 3 in Awhich the outline of this cam |80 is indicated in dotted lines, the'cam |80 is provided with an inclined forward portion |8| adapted to strike the rocker arm of a winding unit and raise roller 49 an amount sufficient to depress the rod 38? and yoke 44 against the action of the spring 40 to a point at which the wound package 25lies below the path of travel of the unwinding roll ||8 and suction nozzle 11, but still out of contact with the package drive roll |8. A

A level portion |82 of the cam |80 then acts through the rocker arm roller 49 to hold the wound package 25 in this position until the un- Winding roller ||8 has reached a position ap.

tion |84 on the cam |80 then raises the rocker arm roller 49 and restores the wound package 25 1 to its midway position out of contact-with both the unwinding roller ||8and package drive roll I8, a level portion |85 on the cam |80 acting to retain the package in this position during a period in which the magazine is rotated to operate the knot tyer |25 and drop the tied-in bobbin. A further inclined portion |86 on the cam |80 then contacts with the rocker arm roller 49 vto plow this arm up suiciently to depress the rod 38 still further and bring the projection 42 thereon below the cooperating latch 4| of the stop mechanism of the unit, at the same time allowing the wound package 25 to contact with the rotating package drive roll |8. The highest and final level |81 on the cam |80 retains the rocker arm 41 in the position of Fig. 1 until the winding package 25 has been accelerated to its full speed and the winding yarn put under tension, and the pivoted detector 'Wire 35 brought to its normal running position by the tension of the winding yarn. The stop mechanism is thus held inoperative by the traveling magazine unit during a period in which the winding is begun and the detector mechanism restored to its normal Y running position.

Since the' operation of jeach of the several mechanisms of the machine has been explained, rthe operation of the machine as a whole-will be readily apparent. The operator of the machine loads the magazine with replenishment supply bobbins when the magazine is at one end of the machine, placing the ends of ya'rn of these sev- 'eral bobbins in the space betweenthe suction strand of the wound package of the unit, and the wound package again set to winding from its new supply. If desired, the winding machinemay be built of suchlengththat the traveling magazine can make a complete course around the nilain'eJ with ne filling kofv ns1-several bin holders 98. l 0r,if desired, the machine' have double thenumber lof winding'units which 1 are servedby one filling .of the traveling maga:

zine,V and the. magazine in thatcase be tllled at* bobbin stations at opposite ends ofthe machine;

It will readily be apparent that the number of l bobbin holders on the traveling magazine can be 1 increased-' It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustrationconlyc land that this invention includes all modications ,and equivalents which fall withinthe scope of:

of the magazine for starting the Winding units,

successively following delivery thereto of a supply mass by the magazine and uniting of a supply mass strand to the strand of the winding package.

2. A Winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary Winding units each including a holder for a supply strand mass, a traveling magazine adapted I to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, means for associating the strands of the wound packages of the winding units and the strands of the supply masses of the magazine, strand-uniting mechanism traveling with the magazine vfor uniting the associated strands, and means for delivering the tied-in supply strand massesfrom the magazine to the said holders of the units successively.

3. A Winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units, each includinga holder for a supply strand mass, a traveling magazine adapted to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, a suction conduit travelf ing with the magazine and into `which the ends uniting, strand-uniting mechanism associated with the magazine for unitingthe thus held strands of the magazine successively to the strands of the Wound packages of the successive winding units, said uniting mechanism acting to cut oi the suction-held end of each supply strand, and `means for delivering the tied-in sup- ;ply strands from the magazine t the said holders of the units successively.

4. A winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units, and a traveli ing tender unit adapted to present itself periodically at an operators station, the, traveling tender unit including means for delivering supply strand masses to the several Winding units, and including a suction device having an opening into which the operator can put the ends of a plurality of supply strands to be carried to the winding units.

5. A winding machine'having therein a plurality of stationary winding units each including a winding package drive roll and stop mechanism including meansl for yieldingly elevating the i winding package in the event of failure of the winding strand; a traveling tender unit including an end-finding nozzle and unwinding roll, the end-finding roll moving in a path above the 5 package drive rolls of the Winding units, and means associated with the traveling tender unit for lowering an elevated package to below the path of the unwinding roll and then releasing the l thus lowered package to permit the' said elevating means to hold the package against the unwinding roll.

`6. A Winding machine having therein a plurality or stationary winding units, a magazine adapted to travel along the winding machine and l to carry a plurality of supply strand masses and deliver the same successively to the winding units, means traveling with the magazine for rotating the packages of ,the successive winding units in an unwinding direction, means for unit-v adapted to travel along tire winding machine and to carry a plurality o'f supply strand'masses andA deliver the same successively to the winding units,

i0 suction means traveling with the magazine for securing the ends of strand of the packages of the winding units, means for uniting the said ends of strand to supply strand masses carried to the winding units by the magazine and means l5 for presenting the strands of said supply masses successively to the said uniting means.

8. A winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units, a magazine adapted to travel along the winding machine and m to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, suction means associated with the magazine for holding the ends of the strands of the supply masses carried by the magazine, and means for uniting the said strands to the strands of the le; successive winding units. l

9. A winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units, a. magazine adapted to travel along the winding machine and to carry a plurality of supply strand masses,

50 the magazine including means for holding ends of strand of supply strand masses carried by the magazine, strand-uniting means associated with the traveling magazine, and means for automatically placing in the uniting means the ends of strand of the winding units and the ends of -strand of the strand masses` carried by the magazine.

10. A winding machine having therein la lpluzine adapted to travel along the winding machine and to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, the magazine including means for holding ends of strand of supply strand masses' car- '5 ried by the magazine, means for automatically 0 rality of the stationary winding units, a magaassembling strands of the packages of the windried to the units by the magazine, and means for uniting the assembled ends. y 12. A winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units, a magazine adapted to travel along the winding machine and to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, the magazine including means for holding ends of strand of supply strand masses carried by the magazine, and means for automatically uniting the ends of strand of the Winding units and the ends, of strand of the strand masses carried by the magazine.

13. Avwinding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units, a magazine adapted to travel along the winding machine and to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, the magazine including means for holding ends of strand of supply strand masses carried by the magazine, means for automaticallyI uniting the strands of, the units of the strands of the masses carried thereto by the magazine, and means for automatically starting the winding units to winding following said uniting.

14. A winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units each including a holder for an unwinding supply mass, means for carrying replenishment supply strand masses along the machine to theseveral units and delivering said masses to the holders of said units, said carrying means including means for holding the ends of strand of the replenishment supply strand masses, and means for automatically uniting said strand masses to the strands of the several winding units.

15. A Winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units each including a holder for an unwinding supply mass, means for finding broken or'exhausted ends of a strand on the packages of the winding units, means for carrying replenishment supply strand masses along the machine to the several units, and delivering said masses to the holders of said units, said carrying means including means for holding the ends of strand of the replenishment supply strand masses, and means for automati-l cally uniting the replenishment strand masses to the found ends of strand.

16. In a multiple unit winding machine having supply mass holders for the respective Winding units, replenishment mechanism comprising a knotter, a magazine movable with relation tov the knotter to discharge a replenishment strand mass to a supply mass holder-of a winding unit and to deliver the' strand of said mass to the knotter, means for constantly urging the knotter magazine to operate the knotter.

18. In a multiple unit winding machine having supply mass holders for the respective winding units, replenishment mechanism comprising a knotter, a magazine movable with relation to A the knotter to discharge a replenishment strand ing magazine adapted to carry a plurality of supply strand masses, means for associating a strand of a wound package of a winding unit and a strand of a supply mass ofthe magazine, strand-unitingy mechanism traveling with the magazine for uniting the associated' strands, and means for delivering said supply mass from the magazine to the said supply strand mass holder of the said winding unit.`

20. A winding machine having therein a plurality of stationary winding units each including a holder for a supply strand mass, a traveling magazine adapted to carry a plurality of supply strand masses. means for associating a strand of a wound package of a winding unit and a strand of a supply mass of the magazine, stranduniting mechanism traveling with the magazine for uniting the associated strands,y means for delivering said supply mass from the magazine to the said supply strand mass holder of the said winding unit, and means controlled by the travel of the magazine for starting the units to winding successively following delivery thereto of a supply mass by the magazine.

EDWARD J. ABBOTT. 

